Award-Winning Washington State Wine at Stake: Washington and California Governors Set Wager on NFC Championship Game

This Weekend's Showdown Goes Beyond the Stadium and Into the Vineyard

SEATTLE, Jan. 17, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- After much deliberation over the stakes, Washington State Governor Jay Inslee and California Governor Jerry Brown today agreed to bet on Sunday's NFC Championship game between the Seattle Seahawks and the San Francisco 49ers. The wager: A case of each state's award-winning wine. The announcement was made via Gov. Inslee's Twitter feed at 5:22 p.m.

Both Washington and California are well-known for wine. While California is the largest wine producing state in the United States, Washington is second and growing rapidly. Though official numbers have not yet been released, Washington expects 2013's wine grape tonnage to top 200,000 — a record harvest for the state.

Wines from Washington State are also recognized for both their high quality and value. Washington has consistently outperformed California with a higher percentage of wines scoring 90 points and above, while maintaining a lower average cost for these wines, based on Wine Spectator magazine's ratings. Over the past four years, an average of 48 percent of Washington State wines scored 90 points or higher, with an average cost of just $43, compared to 34 percent of California wines at $71.

If the Seahawks succumb Sunday, Gov. Inslee has promised Gov. Brown a baker's dozen of Washington State wine — one bottle from each of Washington State's 13 winegrowing regions.

"We're proud of our state and confident about Sunday's game," said Steve Warner, president of Washington State Wine. "And just as the Seahawks are poised to be No. 1, so is Washington State wine."

About Washington State Wine:Washington State Wine represents every licensed winery and wine grape grower in Washington State. Guided by an appointed board, WSW provides a marketing platform to raise positive awareness of the Washington State wine industry and generate greater demand for its wines. Funded almost entirely by the industry through assessments based on grape and wine sales, WSW is a state government agency, established by the legislature in 1987. To learn more, visit www.washingtonwine.org.